Remember, an ion is an element that has gained or lost at least one electron and so have and electrical charge. The electrical charge is shown with a superscript and must include the + or - symbol. Many ions have special endings to let us know they have made the change from element to ion. The chemical and physical properties of ions can be very different from their elements.
Iron the element is a hard blue gray metal. Fe+3 combines with oxygen to make rust, a soft red material that does not
conduct electricity and is non-magnetic.
Hint: as you work to memorize these, try grouping them by charge (also called valence). I would put them on color coded flash cards.
| Element name |
Ion name |
Charge | Ion symbol |
| chlorine | chloride | -1 | Cl-1 |
| hydrogen | hydrogen | +1 | H+1 |
| oxygen | oxide | -2 | O-2 |
| sodium | sodium | +1 | Na+1 |
| neon | -- | 0 | Ne |
| carbon | carbon | +4 | C+4 |
| magnesium | magnesium | +2 | Mg+2 |
| calcium | calcium | +2 | Ca+2 |
| fluorine | fluoride | -1 | F-1 |
| iron | ferric | +3 | Fe+3 |
| copper | cupric | +2 | Cu+2 |
| aluminum | aluminum | +3 | Al+3 |
| sulfur | sulfide | -2 | S-2 |
| potassium | potassium | +1 | K+1 |
| bromine | bromide | -1 | Br-1 |
| phosphorus | phosphide | -3 | P-3 |
| nitrogen | nitride | -3 | N-3 |
| helium | -- | 0 | He |
| silver | silver | +1 | Ag+1 |
| cobalt | cobaltous | +2 | Co+2 |
| barium | barium | +2 | Ba+2 |
| lead | plumbic | +4 | Pb+4 |
| iodine | iodide | -1 | I-1 |
| zinc | zinc | +2 | Zn+2 |
| mercury | mercuric | +2 | Hg+2 |
| arsenic | arsenous | +3 | As+3 |
| nickel | nickelous | +2 | Ni+2 |
| argon | -- | 0 | Ar |
| silicon | silicon | +4 | Si+4 |
| tin | stannic | +4 | Sn+4 |
| krypton | -- | 0 | Kr |
| lithium | lithium | +1 | Li+1 |
| boron | boron | +3 | B+3 |
| beryllium | beryllium | +2 | Be+2 |
| xenon | -- | 0 | Xe |
| Polyatomic ions | |||
| -- | hydroxide | -1 | OH-1 |
| -- | sulfate | -2 | SO4-2 |
| -- | nitrate | -1 | NO3-1 |
| -- | phosphate | -3 | PO4-3 |
| -- | chromate | -2 | CrO4-2 |
| -- | chlorate | -1 | ClO3-1 |
| -- | carbonate | -2 | CO3-2 |
| -- | acetate | -1 | C2H3O2-1 |
| -- | ammonium | +1 | NH4+1 |
These ions are our basic vocabulary for Chemistry. We cannot say anything interesting or talk about reactions or other fun stuff in Chemistry until these have been memorized. Expect ions quizzes approximately weekly.
that has gained or lost an electron, and so has an electrical charge. Elements are all neutral or have zero valence. The chemical and
The superscripts (little numbers above the line) are
the electrical charge.
The subscripts are the numbers of atoms in the ion for
the polyatomic ions.
Anions are negatively charged ions and cations are
positively charged ions.
Study your ions early and often. Expect a test
on them about once a week.